Gemotions

Rain slicked the windows, mirroring the sheen of tears he refused to let fall. Sarah watched the hammering next door, each rhythmic thud a hammer blow to her already fragile composure. The fence. A symbol, she decided, of everything that was closing in on her.

She picked at the corner of a chipped nail, then dropped her hand, the movement lacking energy. The house felt too big, the silence too loud. She thought of calling her sister, but the effort felt insurmountable.

The men’s laughter drifted over, a jarring contrast to the heavy quiet within. She wrapped her arms around herself, a futile attempt to ward off the chill that had nothing to do with the weather. Just another Monday, just another reminder of… everything.